xinxue

Xinxue, traditionally written as 心学 and often translated as the Mind School, is a major strand of Neo-Confucianism in China. It centers on the mind (xin) as the primary site of moral knowledge and ethical cultivation. The school emerged in the Ming period, drawing on earlier thought but being systematized most clearly by Wang Yangming (1472–1529) and rooted in the ideas of Lu Jiuyuan (Lu Xun, 1139–1193). Xinxue is commonly associated with “the School of Mind” and is contrasted with the rationalist, principle-focused approach of the Cheng–Zhu tradition.

Core ideas include the belief in liangzhi, the innate knowledge of the good that exists in every person. For xinxue, true moral understanding does not require extensive external study alone; it is awakened in the heart and should be harmonized with action. A key claim is the unity of knowledge and action (zhi xue wei xing): knowing what is right and doing it are inseparable. The method emphasizes rectifying the mind and aligning it with innate moral sense, often reinterpreting the classical concept of gewu (investigation of things) as an inward process that clarifies conscience rather than merely examining external objects.

Historical impact and reception: Xinxue became a dominant interpretation of Confucian morality in Ming and Qing China and influenced education, governance, and social ethics. It also spread to Korea and Japan, shaping East Asian neo-Confucian thought. In modern times, its emphasis on conscience and ethical action has continued to provoke discussion in philosophy, psychology, and moral education, where debates about innate knowledge and moral cultivation persist. See also Wang Yangming; Lu Jiuyuan; Yangmingism.